English

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Noun

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meter maid (plural meter maids)

  1. A female meter attendant: a female public servant tasked with enforcing the use of parking meters.
    • 1967, Lennon–McCartney (lyrics and music), “Lovely Rita”, in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, performed by The Beatles:
      Lovely Rita meter maid / Nothing can come between us / When it gets dark I tow your heart away / Standing by a parking meter / When I caught a glimpse of Rita / Filling in a ticket in her little white book
    • 2000, Charles Baxter, chapter 3, in The Feast of Love, page 36:
      She worked as a meter maid. Almost like a song: Lovely Jenny, meter maid.
  2. (derogatory) A meter attendant of either gender.

Usage notes

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  • This term is frequently taken as derogatory, even when used in reference to a woman. A more neutral term is meter attendant, which is the term found in the United States Department of Labor Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

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